Apricot feeding, orienting, halving and pitting machine



June 23, 1964 N. E. GADDlNl APRICOT FEEDING, ORIENTING, HALVING AND FITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 15, 1962 INVENTOR. N Norman E. Gdadl'nz' HTTVS.

WW6? MM June 23, 1964 GADDIN] 3,138,184

APRICOT FEEDING, ORIENTING, HALV-ING AND'PITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 23, 1964 N. E. GADDINI 3,138,184

APRICOT FEEDING, ORIENTING, HALVING AND FITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet s June 23, 1964 N. E. GADDINI 3,138,184

APRICOT FEEDING, ORIENTING, HAL-VING AND FITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 5

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I United States Patent 3,138,184 APRICOT FEEDING, ORIENTING, HALVING AND FITTING MACHHNE Norman E. Gaddini, Rte; 1, Box 86, Winters, Calif. Filed Aug. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 216,529 15 Claims. (Cl. 146--28) This invention relates in general to a machine for use in the fruit processing industry.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it is a major object to provide, a novel machine especially designed-but not limitedfor use with fresh apricots; the machine being operative to feed, orient to a predetermined position, and then halve and pit such fruit preparatory to canning or the like.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a machine, for the described purpose, which embodies open bottom apricot receiving and supporting cups movable between an orienting zone and a halving and pitting zone; the apricots, under the influence of water jets passing through the cups from below, being caused to assume a predetermined position in the cups while at said orienting zone, and thence being moved by said cups to the halving and pitting zone where the mechanism cuts the pre-positioned apricots in half and separates the halves from the pits.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the machine with novel means forfeeding or delivering the apricots into the receiving and supporting cups when the latter are disposed in said orienting zone; such means including an elevator assembly working up and down from a water tank containing the fruit.

An additional object of the invention is to provide the machine with a novel water jet assembly at the orienting zone and operative when the cups are in said zone, which causes the apricots as delivered to the cups to automatically take a position such that apricots, when subsequently moved into the halving and pitting zone and acted upon by the aforesaid mechanism, will be cut in half in the plane of the suture.

A further object of the invention is to provide the machine, at said halving and pitting zone, with a novel mechanism which is operative to first cut the pro-positioned apricots into halves, and to then strip the halves from the pits.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a relatively high capacity machine, for the purpose described, which includes novel actuating means arranged to respectively cycle the working parts of the machine in a smooth and efficient manner.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a practical, reliable, and durable apricot feeding, orienting, halving, and pitting machine, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure nad relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan of the machine, one row of the apricot receiving and supporting cups being shown in lowered position over the water jet assembly, while the other set of cups is shown as swung upward and outward to raised position for cooperation with the related cutting and stripping mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

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FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional elevation on line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional planforeshortenedon line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the machine comprises an upstanding substantially rectangular, floor-supported frame of open or skeleton form and indicated generally at 1.

An open-top water tank, indicated generally at 2, is mounted in the lower portion of frame 1 but above the floor. This tank is substantially rectangular in plan'and includes front and rear end walls 3 and 4, respectively, and side walls. The lower portions 5 of the side walls are vertical and parallel to each other, then flare outwardly and upwardly for a certain distance, as shown at 6, and then extend vertically to the top of the tank, as shown at 6a (see FIG. 5).

An apricot feeding hopper 7 projects from the frame 1 beyond and in line with the rear end of the tank, and at its forward end such hopper includes a low-level passage or transition 8 which-merges with and opens above the adjacent end wall 4. The height of the transition adjacent the tank and above the bottom wall 9 of such tran sition is limited by a transverse horizontal flange 10 projecting forwardly from the lower edge of the front upstanding wall 11 of the hopper, as shown in FIG. 3.

When the machine is in operation, water is maintained in the hopper, transition, and tank to a level indicated at 12, which is adjacent but not above the flange 11 Should the water get above such level, it overflows the front wall 3 of the tank 2 into a return and filter chamber 13 attached to the tank, and the front wall 14 of which chamber terminates at a level below that of the adjacent tank wall.

A horizontal filter or sediment-catching screen or tray 15 is mounted in chamber 13 a short distance below the upper edge of the wall 14; water draining down through the screen being received in a pipe 16 leading to the intake of a suitably driven circulating pump 17 supported from frame 1 under the hopper 7. The discharge pipe 18 of the pump is branched at its upper end, the branches 18a delivering horizontally into the transition through the back wall near the bottom thereof, as shown in FIG. 3 and in somewhat widely spaced relation transversely. A check valve 19, opening away from the pump, is interposed in said discharge pipe, as well as an adjustable volume and pressure control valve 20, which is interposed between the check valve and pump.

To maintain the water in the tank at the constant level 12, and thus offset the inevitable losses incident to operation of the machine, water is fed into the chamber 13 above the screen 15 from an exterior supply pipe 21 (see FIG. 2), and which pipe is connected within the chamber to a float controlled valve 22, the float 23 of which rests on the water in the chamber 13, and the level of which water can of course be no higher than the top level of the chamber wall 14. It may here be noted that the upper end of the chamber is covered by a downwardly sloping protective grate 24.

Secured in the tank 2 centrally of the width and extending for the full length thereof, is a relatively narrow manifold 25 of rectangular form in cross section which projects upwardly in the tank from adjacent the top of the straight wall portions 5 of the tank 2, to an upper end termination a short distance above the water level 12, as shown in FIG. 5. A row of upwardly projecting waterdischarge nozzles 26 is mounted on the top of the manifold in communication therewith, each nozzle including a frusto-conical top portion 27.

Water under adjustable pressure is admitted to the rear end of the manifold by means of a pipe 28 which Patented June 23, 1964 is connected to the discharge pipe 18 of the pump 17 at a point between the valve 20 and the pump, as shown in FIG. 3. It will thus be seen that by adjusting the valve 20, the nozzles may be varied to suit different conditions of operation. At the same time, the total volume of water being circulated through the system, either through the pipes 18 or 28, remains constant, since any water discharged from the nozzles 26 drains back into the tank 2.

Disposed in the tank 2 on opposite sides of the manifold and also extending the full length thereof are apricot elevators, indicated generally at 29. Each such elevator comprises a generally rectangular, vertically elongated plunger 30 of hollow open-ended form so as to offer a minimum of resistance to the water in the tank, and sufficiently wide so that no apricots can possibly get between said body and the manifold, or between the body and the lower side wall portions 5 of the tank, as clearly indicated in FIG. 5.

At their forward ends, the plungers 36 are provided with vertically spaced rollers 31 which ride in guides 32 secured against the inner face of the front tank wall 3. At their rear ends said plungers are formed with vertically straight laterally and angularly projecting lips 33 which engage in guides 34 secured against the manifold 25 at the rear end thereof, as shown particularly in FIG. 6.

Each elevator plunger 30 is reciprocated through a stroke of predetermined length by means of upstanding rods 35 pivotally connected to said plunger adjacent its ends, and beyond the plane of the row of manifold nozzles 26. At their upper ends the rods are connected to cranks 36 formed on longitudinally spaced front and rear transverse crankshafts 37 and 38, respectively, which are suitably journaled on the sides of frame 1 at the top thereof, as shown at 39. The shafts 37 and 38 are connected for rotation in unison by means of a driven longitudinal shaft 40 supported from the frame 1 on one side thereof and beyond the adjacent ends of shafts 37 and 38; being drivingly connected thereto by suitable means such as bevel gears 41, as shown particularly in FIG. 1. The cranks of the rods 35 of the two elevator plungers 30 are set 180 degrees apart on the shafts 37 and 33, so that when one elevator is raised, the other one is lowered.

Each elevator includes a longitudinal top cap 4-2 on each plunger 30; said cap being formed to provide a row of separated seats 43 for individual apricots, and which seats are of generally shallow or wide-angle V-form, with their apices extending transversely, so that said seats are open laterally, as shown in FIG. 3. The seats 43 are alined with the nozzles 26 of the aforementioned row.

The caps are hingedly connected to the related plungers 30 along the sides thereof nearest the manifold 25, as clearly shown at 44 in FIG. 5. Each cap is yieldably held in its lowered apricot'receiving position by means of a tension spring 45 (see FIG. 2).

The stroke-length of the elevators is such that when one elevator is fully lowered, the cap 42 thereof is in a position to receive apricots onto the related seats 4-3 from a supply then resting on the adjacent sloping side wall 6 of the tank, and tending to roll down said wall. Having rolled onto the seats, the apricots are prevented from rolling off said seats by the adjacent wall of the upstanding manifold 25, as will be obvious from FIG. 5. At the same time, the opposite elevator is in a fully raised position, with the apricot-supporting top cap 42 thereof a short distance above the nozzles 26, and with the lower end of the related plunger 30 disposed in slightly overlapping relation to the adjacent side wall portion 5 of the tank, so that no apricots can roll down from the sloping side wall 6 and get under said plunger.

When an elevator 29 approaches its topmost position, the top cap 42 thereof is swung upwardly toward the nozzles 26 by means of a rigid arm 46 projecting laterally from the forward end of said cap in the direction of the row of nozzles and then engaging under a horizontal lip 47 on the upper end of an arm 48 secured to and upstanding from the adjacent end of the manifold 25, so that when the elevator 29 reaches said topmost position, said cap 42 and the seats 43 thereon are tilted downwardly toward the nozzles, while being a short distance above the same, as shown in FIG. 5.

The apricots on the seats 43 then roll into flaring-sided cups 49 which are formed with and open into oppositely flaring bases 50 which snugly but detachably fit the frustoconical upper end portions 27 of the nozzles 26.

It should be noted that there are two sets of these cups, one for each elevator, and they function alternately in timed relation with the opposed movement of the elevators. The cups for each elevator are each connected, by means of a spring arm 51, with a longitudinal shaft 52 suitably journaled, as at 53, in connection with the end cross beam in of the frame 1. The shaft 52 is disposed at about the level of the top of the tank 2, and adjacent the side edge thereof furthest from the related elevator 29.

Each shaft 52 is oscillated in timed relation to the movement of the related elevator 29, with a dwell between oscillating movements, by the following mechanisrnz Fixed on said shaft 52 adjacent the forward end thereof and in substantial alinement with the transverse shaft 37, in a plane lengthwise of the machine, is a radial arm 54, which is disposed at a downward and laterally inward angle when the related row of cups 49 is engaged with the nozzles 26, as shown at the right in FIG. 2. Similarly, said arm is disposed at a corresponding but upward angle when the cups 49 are swung upwardly to a horizontal-axis position, as shown at the left in FIG. 2.

T he arm 54, which is of double or yoke form, straddles a sleeve 55 having a projecting pin 56 which is engaged in a longitudinal slot 57 in said arm. A radial pin 58 projects from and is rigid with shaft 52 outside and adjacent the frame beam la, the range of swinging movement of this pin and consequently the arm 54 as well, being limited by stops 59 projecting from said beam 11:. The sleeve 55 is slidable on a vertical rod 60 suitably journaled in connection with the frame 1, as at 61. Compression springs 62 are mounted on the rod 60 on opposite sides of and in engagement with the sleeve 55; said springs being engaged at their opposite ends by collars 63 fixed on said rod.

Pivoted to the rod 60, as at 64, above the upper collar 63 is a connecting rod 65 which extends upwardly to a crank 66 on the shaft 37. This crank is positioned relative to the crank 36 of the related elevator 29 so that when said crank 36 is at its topmost position and the elevator is raised, the related crank 66 is in a forwardly facing position 30 degrees below horizontal, and the related arm 54 is at the bottom of its stroke, as shown at the right in FIG. 2. The row of cups 49, whose movement is controlled by the movement of arm 54 and rod 60, is then in engagement with the nozzles 26.

The direction of rotation of said shaft 37 is such that said crank 66 will move downwardly from such angled position, and in so doing will compress the upper spring 62, since the sleeve 55 cannot be lowered any further because the pin 58 is then engaged with one of the stops 59. This allows the row of cups 49 to hold their position on the nozzles 26 for a certain period of dwell, for the purpose which Will be seen later, before the cups are lifted off the nozzles by the reverse movement of the rod 60 as the crank 66 moves up.

Similarly, when the crank 36 of either elevator 29 is in its bottom stroke position, the related crank 66 is in a rearwardly facing position 30 degrees above horizontal, and the related arm 54 is then at the top of its stroke and can go not further because of the engagement of the pin 58 with the other stop 59. The corresponding cups 49 are then in their upper and laterally outwardly facing position, and will dwell in such position until said crank 66 reaches its topmost position with the continued rotation of shaft 37, with the accompanying compression of the lower spring 62. The purpose of this latter positioning and dwelling of the cups 49 will be seen later.

For each row of cups 49 a frame-supported, flexible back-stop plate 67 is disposed in a vertical position laterally out from and facing such row of cups when the latter are in their upper raised position and in spaced relation thereto, so that apricots 68 held in the cups when so raised will be engaged by said back plate, as indicated in FIG. 2.

Longitudinally extending upper and lower blades or knives 69 and 70, respectively, and whose cutting edges are horizontal and face each other, are disposed in a common vertical plane substantially midway between the stop plate 67 and the row of cups when the latter are raised. Each knife extends the full length of said row of cups, and includes a stiffening edge-frame 71 slidable at its ends in vertical guides 72 suitably supported from the frame 1, as clearly shown in FIG. 3.

Stripper bars 73 extend lengthwise of the upper knife on opposite sides thereof and close thereto below the edge framing, as shown particularly in FIG. 2. At their ends, which are short of the guides 72, the bars 73 are connected by upstanding, vertically slotted posts 74 through which the adjacent knife frame 71 may slide, said frame having upstanding rods 75 slidably projecting through the top of the posts 74 and having compression springs 76 thereon engaging and urging the frame 71 and the related knife 69 downwardly; downward movement being limited by the engagement of said frame 71 with the bars 73, as shown in FIG. 2. Connecting rods 77 are pivoted to and extend between the upper ends of the posts 74 and cranks 78 on the shafts 37 and 38. The cranks 78 are positioned on said shafts relative to the cranks 36 of the related elevator 29 so as to be at the top of their stroke when said cranks 36 are at the bottom of their stroke.

Stationary or non-movable stripper bars 7 9 are mounted on opposite sides of and close to the lower knife 70 at a level adjacent the cutting edge of said knife when the latter is in its lowered position. Connecting rod units 80 connect the edge frame 71 of the lower knife 70 adjacent its ends and laterally out therefrom with cranks 81 on the shfits 37 and 38; the cranks 81 having the same length stroke as the cranks 78 and disposed directly opposite thereto, as shown in FIG. 2.

The connecting rod unit 80 is telescopic, and comprises a lower rod 82 slidable in an upper sleeve 83. A cross pin 84 in the rod 82 rides in a movement-limiting slot 85 in the sleeve 83; said pin being yieldably held at the upper end of the slot by means of a compression spring 86 surrounding the sleeve 83 and extending between a fixed collar 87 on the lower end of the sleeve and a washer 88 slidable on the sleeve and engaging the projecting ends of the cross pin 84.

In the operation of the above described knife and stripper mechanism, as soon as the row of cups has moved to position to place the apricots held thereby against the stop plate 67, the knives 69 and 70, which are initially clear of the apricots, are brought together as the related cranks travel on their downward and upward strokes, respectively. The knives thus move toward each other until stopped by the engagement of the ends of their edge frames '71, with narrow stops 89 secured across the guides 72, which keep the sharp edges of the knives from actual contact with each other. The knives-with such movementscut through the apricots along the suture lines thereof, for the reason which will be seen later, while missing the pits 98; the cutting edges of the knives being recessed in line with the pits so as to surround the same, as shown at 91.

. When this cutting action occurs, the cranks 78 and 81, however, have not reached the ends of their throw, and the connecting rod 77 continues to move down, while the rod unit 80 continues to move up. With such movement 6 of the rod 77, the posts 74 and the stripper bars 73 thereon are further lowered to adjacent the confined pit, as shown at the right in FIG. 2, the springs 76 being then compressed.

With the continued upward movement of the rod unit 80, the lower rod 82 thereof is held from such movement, and the springs 86 become compressed. Upon the direction of throw of the cranks 78 and 81 being then reversed and the stripper bars and knives being withdrawn from the halved and pitted apricots, the latter drop free and are received on a carry-off conveyor 92 mounted in the frame 1 below the cutting zone.

It will be noted that shields 93 are fixed on each shaft 52 between and parallel to the relatively narrow cupmounting arms 51, as shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 3, and which catch and deflect any apricot halveswhen dropping-and which might otherwise fall between said arms and onto the adjacent shaft 52 rather than onto the conveyor 92. Also, guards or shields 94, which do not interfere with water flow, are mounted in the upper side portions of the tank 2 at the forward end of the manifold 25 to prevent apricots from getting beyond that point, while upstanding guards 95for a similar purposeare mounted on each elevator cap 42 at the forward end thereof.

It will of course be understood that since there are two cutting and stripping mechanisms, there are two conveyors 92, one for each such mechanism.

To somewhat recapitulate the operation of the machine, it will be seen that the apricots fed indiscriminately into the hopper 7 will be received by the forwardly circulated water in the transition 8, and a certain number at a time pass into the laterally sloping portions of the tank 2 to the sides of the manifold and elevators, and the ends of which, nearest the transition are formed with a lateral slope, as shown at 96 in FIG. 6, so as to avoid any abrupt water or apricot contacting surfaces.

The apricots received on the sloping bottom walls 6 of the tank are distributed by the flow of water in which they are immersed to the forward end of said tank, in position to roll onto the seats 43 of the adjacent elevator 29 when the latter reaches a fully lowered position, as indicated in FIG. 5.

The adjacent wall of the manifold 25 forms a back stop for the apricots rolling onto the seats 43, and should any apricots tend to pile up on said elevator, those other than the ones definitely seated will fall olf back into the tank as said elevator moves up.

Upon an elevator 29 reaching its topmost position, the seat-containing top cap 42 thereof is tilted upwardly toward the row of cups 49 then seated on the nozzles 26, and the apricots roll from said seats and into the cups, which are alined with the seats, as previously described. Because of the swinging and control mechanism for the cups, as hereinbefore described, the cups have a period of dwell while seated on the nozzles. This gives the water passing under pressure upwardly through said nozzles time to exert a lifting and rolling or orienting movement to the apricots in said cups of sufiicient duration to cause said apricots to assume a position therein with the suture line in a transverse horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 5.

Just as soon as the cups start to lift off the nozzles, the water pressure against the apricots is immediately relieved, as will be evident, and the apricots reseat themselves in the cups in a properly oriented position. Then, with the complete upward swing of the cups, the apricots therein become engaged with the related back-stop plate 67; this movement of the cups taking place with such rapidity that the apricots have no chance to shift their positions in the cups or fall therefrom.

It will be noted that the springy nature of the cupmounting arms 51 and plate 67 enables apricots of any size to be successfully handled, since the cups do not have to approach the plate 67 to an exact distance therefrom, and both the cups and plate can yield away from each U other if any extra large apricots become engaged with the plate. The apricots are then acted on by the halving and pitting mechanism in the manner previously described, and carried away from the machine for further handling.

It will be noted that the apricot receiving and halving mechanism for each elevator 29 is to the side of the central tank 2 opposite that to which such elevator is closest. This allows for the use of two elevators, functioning in alternating order, with the use of a single manifold and row of nozzles thereon.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such an apricot feeding, orienting, halving, and pitting machine as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the machine, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A fruit feeding and halving machine comprising a supporting frame, a water tank mounted in the frame and into which the fruit to be halved is fed, a fruit halving mechanism mounted in connection with the frame to one side of the tank, means to engage a single-file horizontal row of fruit from the tank and elevate the same to a point above water level, means to convey the elevated fruit as a unit to the halving mechanism while maintaining the fruit in such single-file order, and means to operate the halving mechanism in timed relation with the conveying means; there being a halved-fruit receiving conveyor under the halving mechanism.

2. A machine, as in claim 1, in which the halving mechanism includes a pair of knives extending lengthwise of the row of elevated and conveyed fruit and disposed in a common substantially vertical plane with their cutting edges facing each other and initially spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of the fruit, the conveyor means delivering the fruit to a position substantially centrally between the knives, and stripper bars on opposite sides of one of the knives; said operating means including a mechanism to first move the initially separated knives toward each other and into adjacent relationship to halve the fruits, and to then move the stripper bars toward the fruit halves while the knives remain in such adjacent relationship.

3. A machine, as in claim 1, in which the halving mechanism includes a pair of knives extending lengthwise of the row of elevated and conveyed fruit and disposed in a common substantially vertical plane with their cutting edges facing each other and initially spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of the fruit, the conveyor means delivering the fruit to a position substantially centrally between the knives; the operating means comprising a driven horizontal shaft above and vertically spaced from the knives and having opposed cranks thereon, and connecting units between the cranks and knives; an edge frame extending along the upper edge of the upper knife, and stripper bars on opposite sides of said upper knife below said edge frame; the connecting unit for the upper knife comprising a post upstanding from and rigid with the stripper bars and straddling the edge frame in slidable relation, a connecting rod between the post and the related crank, a rod upstanding from the edge frame and slidable through the top of the post, and a compression spring on the rod yieldably pressing down on the edge frame and normally holding the same against the stripper bars.

4. A machine, as in claim 1, in which the tank includes a vertical lower side-wall portion and an upper side-wall portion sloping laterally out from the lower portion and onto which the fruit is fed; the fruit engaging means comprising an elevator having a vertical wall depending into the tank below the upper side-wall portion and relatively close to the lower side-wall portion, and a row of seats along the top of said vertical wall of the elevator; said seats being open to the sloping wall of the tank and when said elevator is in its bottom position being substantially at the level of the lower edge of said sloping wall of the tank to enable fruit on such wall to then roll onto the seats.

5. A machine, as in claim 4, in which the seats are open both front and back to the opposite sides of the elevator, with a vertical wall in the tank laterally inward from and adjacent the elevator and preventing fruit rolling onto the seats at the front from the sloping tank wall from then rolling off the back of the seats.

6. A fruit feeding and halving machine comprising a supporting frame, a fruit supply hopper mounted on the frame, a fruit halving mechanism mounted in connection with the frame above the level of the hopper, said mechanism comprising upper and lower knives initially spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of the fruit, means to engage a single-file horizontal row of fruit from the hopper and elevate such row to a level above the hopper but below the knives, the latter extending 1engthwise of the row, and means to convey the elevated row of fruit to a position between the knives for halving; the fruit-row engaging means comprising an elevator which includes a normally horizontal row of fruit seats on the upper end thereof, means pivoting the seat row along one edge for upward tilting movement, and means to so tilt the seats when the elevator is raised; and the fruit conveying means comprising a row of cups initially positioned to receive the fruit rolling from the tilted seats, and means mounting the cups for movement between the fruit receiving position and a position at which the fruit held therein will be disposed between the knives when the latter are in said spaced-apart position.

7. A machine, as in claim 6, in which the knives are disposed above the level of the cups when the latter are in an upwardly facing fruit receiving position, and such position being in a transverse plane between the elevator and the knives.

8. A fruit feeding and halving machine comprising a supporting frame, a fruit supply hopper mounted on the frame, a fruit halving mechanism mounted in connection with the frame above the level of the hopper, said mechanism comprising upper and lower knives initially spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of the fruit, means to engage a single-filed horizontal row of fruit from the hopper and elevate such row to a level above the hopper but below the knives, the latter extending lengthwise of the row, and means to convey the elevated row of fruit to a position between the knives for halving; the fruit conveying means comprising a row of cups initially positioned to receive the fruit when elevated and being then disposed in a transverse plane between the fruit elevating means and the knives, the latter being disposed above the level of the cups when the latter are in their upwardly facing fruit receiving position, a shaft extending lengthwise of the row of cups in spaced relation thereto in the direction of and below the knives, arms connecting the cups and shaft, and means to oscillate the shaft through a substantially degree arc.

9. A machine, as in claim 8, in which there is an arm for each cup, and such arm is of resilient material.

10. A machine, as in claim 9, with a flexible backstop plate mounted on the frame laterally out from the knives and spaced therefrom a distance substantially equal to the radius of the fruit.

11. A machine, as in claim 8, in which the last named means includes, with said driven shaft, a crank thereon, an arm projecting from the cup mounting shaft, the arm being disposed at a downward 45 degree angle when the cups are in a fruit-receiving position, a vertical rod slidably mounted on the frame in a plane adjacent and in crossing relation to the arm, a sleeve slidable on the rod and having a projecting pin engaged in a longitudinal slot in the arm, collars fixed on the rod above and below and between and engaging the collars and sleeve, stop means between the last named shaft and the frame limiting the rotation of the arm to substantially 90 degrees upwardly from said downward angle, and a connecting rod between the crank and rod at a point on the latter above the upper collar, the throw of the crank being greater than the vertical movement of the rod necessary to move the arm through such are; said crank being disposed at a point short of the bottom of its throw when the arm is stopped at said downwardly angled position. I

12. A feeding and halving machine for a fruit having a suture line, the machine comprising a supporting frame, a fruit supply hopper on the frame, means to engage a fruit from the hopper and elevate the same a certain distance, a fruit halving mechanism supported from the frame above and to one side of the elevating means, a flaringsided cup to receive and seat the fruit when elevated, the mechanism including upper and lower knives initially spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of the fruit, means to swing the cup from an initial vertical-axis fruit receiving position of the cup to a horizontal-axis position thereof adjacent the knives so that the fruit in the cup will then project between the knives for halving, the cup having a bottom opening, and an upwardly directed water pressure nozzle on which the cup seats when in a fruit receiving position, the water pressure in the nozzle being suflicient to lift the fruit from a seated position and caused to assume a position with the suture line in a horizontal plane; the nozzle being formed With a frusto-conical top portion and the cup being formed with a flaring base to fit over said top portion, said base depending from and extending about the bottom openingof the cup.

13. A machine, as in claim 8, in which there is an arm for each cup, a back-stop plate mounted on the frame laterally out from the knives and spaced therefrom a distance substantially equal to the radius of the fruit, and means incorporated with the arm and back-stop providing opposing but equal forces between the cup and back-stop to center fruit of any size relative to the knives.

14. In a fruit halving machine, a pair of halving knives disposed in opposed relation in a common vertical plane, means to reciprocate the knives between contacting and separated positions, a fruit supporting cup initially disposed in a fruit receiving position below and to one side of the space formed between the knives when separated, a horizontal shaft mounted parallel to said vertical plane and disposed between such plane and the initial position of the cup, an arm connecting the cup and shaft, and means to oscillate the shaft through an arc of substantially degrees to raise the cup between said initial position and a position facing the space between the separated knives; the shaft and cup being arranged so that the cup when raised will dispose the central plane of the supported fruit in such vertical plane.

15. A structure, as in claim 14, with an element mount ed to the side of the knives opposite the cup and facing the same when the cup is raised and positioned to engage the supported and raised fruit on the side thereof opposite the cup and prior to the halving of the fruit.

References Cited in the file of this patent 'UNITED STATES PATENTS 429,209 Elkins et al. June 3, 1890 1,155,762 Segerc Oct. 5, 1915 2,293,121 Dudley Aug. 18, 1942 2,793,734 Lorenzen May 28, 1957 3,025,976 Roberts Mar. 20, 1962 

1. A FRUIT FEEDING AND HALVING MACHINE COMPRISING A SUPPORTING FRAME, A WATER TANK MOUNTED IN THE FRAME AND INTO WHICH THE FRUIT TO BE HALVED IS FED, A FRUIT HALVING MECHANISM MOUNTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE FRAME TO ONE SIDE OF THE TANK, MEANS TO ENGAGE A SINGLE-FILE HORIZONTAL ROW OF FRUIT FROM THE TANK AND ELEVATE THE SAME TO A POINT ABOVE WATER LEVEL, MEANS TO CONVEY THE ELEVATED FRUIT AS A UNIT TO THE HALVING MECHANISM WHILE MAINTAINING THE FRUIT IN SUCH SINGLE-FILE ORDER, AND MEANS TO OPERATE THE HALVING MECHANISM IN TIMED RELATION WITH THE CONVEYING MEANS; THERE BEING A HALVED-FRUIT RECEIVING CONVEYOR UNDER THE HALVING MECHANISM. 